WRC
Project Rally One set to join WRC as first new WRC27 Constructor from 2027
Project Rally One has been confirmed as the first new Constructor to join the FIA World Rally Championship under its WRC27 regulations, marking an important step toward the championship’s next era.
Founded by experienced motorsport engineer Lionel Hansen alongside long-time WRC specialist Yves Matton and Prospeed, the project will design, build and homologate a WRC27-specification car ahead of the new regulatory cycle.
The announcement follows the FIA’s approval of the final elements of the WRC27 regulations, completing the long-term framework that, for the first time, opens homologation to independent Tuners competing on equal terms with manufacturers.
Hansen said the new regulations created the conditions for projects like Project Rally One to take the step into rallying’s top tier.
“The introduction of the WRC27 regulations gave us the opportunity to enter the championship,” he said. "The new technical framework creates the right environment for independent projects like ours, allowing us to develop a car from the ground up and compete against manufacturers at the highest level.
WRC Promoter' Senior Director of Sport Peter Thul said the timing of the announcement highlighted the momentum building around the championship’s future.
“The fact that this comes so soon after the announcement of the WRC27 regulations confirms the appetite from the automotive world to be part of the pinnacle of rallying,” said Thul. “It fills us with confidence that this will be just the first of many such announcements to come.
“We as the Promoter are here to help Lionel and Yves to reach their ambitions and we are certain that the mix of WRC27-homologated cars alongside the existing Rally2 cars will generate one of the deepest fields of competition in the WRC in recent memory.”
The WRC27 regulations introduce a cost-controlled platform capped at €345,000, featuring a tubular safety cell, double-wishbone suspension, four-wheel drive and a sustainably fuelled 1.6-litre turbocharged internal combustion engine.
While developed to WRC27 specification, Project Rally One’s car has been designed with a particular focus on suspension and geometry optimisation, weight distribution and reliability, with early consideration given to customer requirements and the differing demands of championships in which the car may compete.
Significant progress has already been made, with the chassis architecture completed and prototype assembly now underway. Once finalised, the car will begin an extensive development programme, including more than 6,000 kilometres of gravel and asphalt testing, ahead of homologation. The first shakedown is scheduled for spring 2026.
Malcolm Wilson OBE, FIA Deputy President for Sport, said the project demonstrated the impact of a more accessible technical framework, while FIA Chief Technical and Safety Officer Xavier Mestelan Pinon described it as an early sign that the WRC27 vision was translating into real engagement.
"Project Rally One is a significant moment for the FIA World Rally Championship," said Wilson. "It confirms that the move toward a more cost-effective and accessible technical framework is already generating new engagement with the sport. Attracting new entrants is essential for the long-term growth of the WRC, and it is encouraging to see other Tuners preparing to compete alongside Manufacturers.”
"By opening homologation to tuners and introducing a cost-effective long-term technical framework for the category, we have created an environment where Tuners can enter the WRC on equal terms with Manufacturers," added Pinon. "Project Rally One illustrates exactly what this vision was designed to achieve, and it confirms that the new era of the FIA World Rally Championship is already beginning to deliver the growth and diversity the sport needs.”
